Life Unlike Before
by ShadowKissedDhampir
Summary: *Sequel to Taken* It's been a year and half since Rose was saved from Adrian. He's gone and Rose and finally able to start her new life with Dimitri and her children. But things can't always be all rainbows and sunshine, and Rose soon starts to face new obstacles that threaten the peace of her new life - and her relationship with Dimitri.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everybody! Sorry, not truly a new chapter, I've just decided to take this off the end of Taken and make it the first chapter of the sequel instead. I am hoping to get a completely new chapter up soon thought! Please review and give your thoughts on where you think the sequel might be going!**

* * *

Dimitri wasn't in bed in the morning when I woke up, but his side as still warm. I pulled out my phone, checking my email and text messages. The first email I noticed was from my professor for my Intro to Gender Studies course. She wanted to meet for lunch sometime this week so I emailed her back, letting her know that I could meet today if she was available.

A reply with a location and time came less than five minutes later. I felt uneasy as I got out of bed and went in search of Dimitri. It didn't take long to find him. I leaned against the door frame of Levi's room, watching Dimitri soothe him while changing his diaper. I smiled as I watched them interact, Levi smiling as Dimitri played with his toes.

Dimitri snapped Levi's onesie back in place and lifted him into his arms. He noticed me as he looked up and smiled.

"Hello, Roza," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Hi," I said, taking Levi from him and cradling him close. "You're great with him."

Dimitri smiled again. "He's an easy baby."

I bit my lip before looking up at Dimitri. "Do you want children? Children of your own, I mean."

He gave me a look. "Katya and Levi _are_ my children. At least in my eyes, they are. It doesn't matter to me if they're not biologically mine or not."

I pressed the subject anyways. "But do you want that? Biological children?"

Dimitri sighed. "I've always wanted kids. I doted on my nephew for years because he was the only child in my life because of my want of children. But like I said, to me, Katerina and Levi are mine. That being said, if a third child is something that you're interested in, I wouldn't be opposed."

"Okay," I said. "It wouldn't be any time soon since we have a few obstacles to overcome first, but I would love to have a baby with you. I've always wanted a big family."

Dimitri's smile was blinding, and he leaned down to kiss me. Levi squirmed in my arms and he pressed a kiss to his forehead too.

"It doesn't matter how long it takes," he said. "We're both still young. We have years to have more children. Not to mention that it would probably be best to wait until Katerina and Levi are older to add another child, especially since he's going to be crawling soon," Dimitri said as we walked down the hallway towards Katerina's room.

"Don't remind me," I said. "He's growing too fast."

We both paused outside of her room and I saw that she was still sound asleep.

"Will you wake Sleeping Beauty while I feed this guy? They both need to get some new clothes, so I was thinking of taking them to the mall. And one of my professors for the fall emailed me and asked if I would be able to meet with her sometime this week so I told her that I could meet her today."

"Are you going to take them to the meeting?"

"Yeah, I was planning on it because I told her that I would meet her for lunch at a small restaurant right near campus."

"I'll come with you to the mall and then I'll take them while you're in the meeting. Find a park or somewhere so Katerina can play and have fun," he said, heading into Katerina's room.

"You're the best," I said as I walked down the stairs and into the living room.

* * *

An hour and a half later, we were pulling up to an Old Navy near downtown. Giant signs in the window advertised the sales they had going on, including most baby and toddler items on sale for $4.99.

As we got closer to the doors, having situated Katerina and Levi in the stroller, I saw a smaller sign that advertised the fact that they were hiring.

"Maybe I should apply here," I said.

"You can, if you want," Dimitri said, his eyebrows furrowed. "But you don't have to, Rose. I make more than enough within my position at the FBI that you wouldn't have to worry about getting a part-time job."

"I know," I said. "I looked up the salaries once. But I just want to feel like I'm contributing."

Dimitri pulled me aside, into a corner of the men's section. "Roza, you are contributing. You basically paid for the house and for so much else, and raising Katerina and Levi is already a full-time job. I'm not going to force you to not apply or anything, but I don't want you to feel as though it's necessary."

"I consider it," I said, before walking to the baby section.

I took advantage of the sales, stocking up on onesies in a variety of sizes since it was unlikely that they'd be on a giant sale like this any time soon. For Levi, I picked out matching _Team Mommy_ and _Team Daddy_ onesies, a grey one that said _Best Bro Ever_ as well as a couple of striped ones. Dimitri grabbed a red dinosaur one off the shelf in a couple of different sizes as well as a few plain grey and black ones. We both laughed at a long sleeve onesie that had a vampire on it with the words _teething is scary_ and Dimitri added it to the cart since Levi would start teething any day now. We grabbed a few romper looking onesies too, including a grey one with rainbow stripes and a blue one that had moons on it. Dimitri added a handful of shorts to the bag before we moved on to the toddler section for Katerina.

I picked out a couple of floral rompers for her to wear that she noticed immediately while Dimitri grabbed a grey sweatshirt that had a sun on it and said _hello sunshine_. Katerina also immediately ran over the leggings section and picked out a couple of pairs of polka dot leggings in pink, purple, and blue. She also got matching polka dot shorts and a handful of t-shirts and tank tops. There was a recurring theme of polka dots and Minnie Mouse in her shirts, but it was exciting seeing her so happy. She also got a yellow _totally amazing sister_ shirt to match Levi's best bro onesie before we moved on to dresses. She picked out matching blue and pink patterned dresses, while I grabbed a couple of striped and plain colored dresses.

By the time that we got to the checkout, we had spent well over two hundred dollars, but they were both going to be set for months now in terms of clothes and I could never resist a good sale.

* * *

Dimitri dropped me off in the parking lot of the restaurant after Old Navy and promised to stay close by in case I needed something or in case the kids needed something from me.

The second I stepped into Kerbey Lane Café, I felt like I was being transported to heaven. The entire restaurant smelled so delicious and as a waitress passed with a steaming bowl of queso, I fell even more in love. I knew that I would have to bring Dimitri and the kids back here another day because Dimitri would surely love it and I had no doubt that it would become a regular place for us.

It took me a few seconds to spot my professor, but as soon as she saw me, she waved me over. A feeling of dread settled in my stomach and I tried to push it away.

"Hi, Rose," the woman said, a smile on her face. "Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice."

"Thank you for reaching out, Professor Novak," I said, sitting down across from her.

"Please, call me Beth."

The waiter came over to take our drink orders and Beth also ordered a bowl of the queso that I had been eyeing on the way in. I ordered water with lemon.

"I really do appreciate you meeting with me on such short notice, especially since we're still a few months out from classes beginning. I also apologize for emailing your personal account but that was all that the school had on file since you haven't created your student email yet."

"I'm excited for classes to begin, actually. It's been a while since I was in an academic setting and while I wasn't originally going to reapply to universities, my best friend pushed me to, and I'm actually glad that I did. UT Austin seems like a great university to attend."

Something flickered in her face, but she didn't say anything as the waiter placed the chips and queso on the table.

"Are y'all ready to order?"

Beth went first, ordering off the lunch menu, while I stuck to the breakfast menu and ordered a potato omelet. He jotted down our orders before hurrying off again.

"Yes," Beth said, picking up our conversation once more. "UT Austin is one of the best schools to attend, but maybe I'm a bit biased. But you returning to school is actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

Confusion must show on my face because she continues.

"The reason I asked you to lunch today is because I wanted to discuss the syllabus with you," she said, pulling out a packet of paper. "One of the modules we'll be covering in the course this semester involves crimes committed against women, both sexual and nonsexual."

The feeling of dread came back.

"And one of the cases I had included in the syllabus is yours."

I froze, a cheese covered chip halfway to my mouth. I was scared to eat it for the fear of choking as I felt my chest tighten.

Beth's eyes were sympathetic. "I've already turned in my syllabus to my dean and my chair of my department and I don't have much wiggle room once it's submitted. It's also a case I've been covering since the trial with my students and it's one that I've become well versed in.

I finally managed to eat the chip and pulled the syllabus towards me, flipping through the pages. It didn't take long to find my module.

_Week 5: Rosemarie Hathaway v. Adrian Ivashkov_

Below the module heading were a few pieces of required text for that week, including news articles about the trial.

"I wanted to discuss this with you and work out any necessary accommodations to make this as easy as possible, even if that means dropping the course," Beth said.

"Nothing's going to make it easier," I said. "I'd rather be there in class, hearing what's being said, than hear about it around campus, even though I know that that'll happen anyways."

The waiter stopped by to drop off our food and I picked up my fork, forcing myself to take a bite even as my stomach twisted further into knots.

"I don't want to hold back your class either," I said. "That last thing I want to do is make waves."

"I never expected to have personal connections to the cases I teach in my classes and when I saw your name on my roster, I couldn't let you just walk blindly into that on the first day. I knew that I had to reach out to you. I don't want to push on such a sensitive subject."

"I can tell you now that I'll likely be very quiet during that module, so I hope class participation isn't a huge part of the course grade."

"While there is a class participation component to your grade, I would never penalize you for something like this."

"What all will be discussed?"

"Mostly the court transcript and some of the evidence in the case. None of the pictures or videos from the trial will be shown and while we'll be covering his escape from prison, I'm just going to be glossing over his death and we won't have a discussion on that. I also plan on implementing specific rules for your privacy and consideration during the module to make it as easy as possible on you."

"I appreciate you giving me the heads up so that I wouldn't be blindsided," I said.

My phone buzzed and I glanced down.

Dimitri (13:27): I know you're busy, but Levi is hungry and fussy and he's refusing to take his bottle.

Rose (13:27): You can bring him in. I'll feed him.

I look up from my phone. "My fiancé and children are going to join us for a moment if you don't mind."

"Of course not," she said.

Dimitri walked in a moment later, trying to soothe Levi with a pacifier and Katerina walking beside him. I slid over in the boot so that Dimitri could sit next to me and he passed me Levi before pulling Katerina on to his lap.

Levi settled the moment he got in my arms and made quick work of my blouse to feed him. Dimitri helped adjust the blanket over him and my chest, protecting my modesty.

Dimitri and Beth were talking quietly but I saw Dimitri's eyes glance down at the syllabus and when he stiffened, I knew that he had seen my name. I could tell from the gleam in Beth's eyes that she recognized Dimitri as well, which made sense if she'd been covering the case since the arrest and trial.

"What is it that you teach?"

"I teach a wide variety of gender studies, and Rose will be in my intro class in the fall," she said.

"And that includes a section about her?" Dimitri's voice wasn't frigid, but the normal warmth was gone.

Beth looked apologetic. "I've been covering her case in my classes for the past few semesters and even though it has since concluded, I've continued to teach it. It's why I asked Rose to meet with me so that she would know about it beforehand and had the option of dropping the course if she wished."

"Dimitri, it's okay," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked lowly.

I nodded. "I've handled worse. I can handle a course with a small section about myself."

"If you say so," he said, pressing a small kiss to my forehead.

He took Levi from my arms to burp him so I could continue to pick at my omelet, and I pulled Katerina on to my lap to give her some. I could tell from the look that he gave me that there would be a lecture about me not eating when we got back to the house.

"Congratulations on your engagement," Beth said softly. "I hadn't realized the two of you were together."

Dimitri shrugged. "We tried to keep it out of the papers. The last thing we needed was harassment about us. So, we kept it lowkey."

The topic strayed from me as the lunch continued and both Katerina and Levi were asleep by the time we wrapped up. Beth covered the meal, insisting on paying for it since she was the one to invite me.

As we stood, she pulled Dimitri aside, talking to him in a soft undertone. We had once again switched off on carrying the children and Levi was in a carrier strapped to my chest that Dimitri had previously been wearing while he carried Katerina. Beth wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it to him. He slipped it into his pocket and mouthed _later_ to me when he realized I had noticed.

"Thank you again, Rose," she said, before leaving the restaurant first.

"What did she give you?" I asked and we walked out and towards the car.

"Her number," Dimitri said. "She wanted to know if I would mind giving a guest lecture during that week since I worked on the case as well as to be there for you during the week to make things easier for you. She told me to reach out to set everything up through the university."

"Oh," I said. "Makes sense that she'd want you to talk about it since I'm not planning on saying anything."

"I'm more concerned with being there for you, and I promise to be there for every class during that week."

"I love you," I said, kissing him as we reached the car.

* * *

Dimitri was already in bed when I came out of the bathroom that night and I crossed the room to climb on the bed and straddled his lap. I saw his brief look of surprise before I leaned forward to kiss him.

"Rose," Dimitri said, pulling back from the kiss.

"You said we could try," I reminded him, shifting on his lap.

"I did say that, but I want to make sure that you're sure. And it's been an emotionally draining day."

"And all I want is you. I'm sure. I want this. I want you," I said. "I love you."

I slipped my hands under his shirt and rucked it up enough to make it easy to pull over his head. I shifted against him again and just barely heard him moan and felt him against me. A shiver ran through me, partially fear and partially excitement. I leaned back slightly, just enough to pull my shirt over my head too.

"Roza," Dimitri whispered, his hands finding my waist. They were warm against my waist as he gripped me tight. "You're beautiful."

I didn't bother correcting him, didn't want this to stop. I knew if I said anything, I would get a lecture, so instead, I leaned forward and kissed him again.

I let him unsnap my bra as he trailed kisses along my jaw and neck. He continued to worship me, pressing burning kisses everywhere he could reach, even leaning down to suck a nipple into his mouth. Pleasure raced through me and I cried out, my back arching involuntarily.

He switched to the other side and I carded my fingers through his hair, urging him on. I felt him get harder against me and moved my hips to grind down against him. He let out a groan, vibrations running through me.

He moved then, swiftly lifting me off his lap and flipping us so that he was hovering over me. Ice cold fear rushed through me, and I whimpered.

"Please, no," I whispered, gripping Dimitri's biceps and pushing.

He let me shove him away and moved to the end of the bed. I sat up, grabbing me my shirt and hastily pulling it back on.

"Roza?" Dimitri said softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I—"

"You don't have to apologize or explain," he said. "We both knew it wasn't going to be easy."

"But I shouldn't be equating_ him_ to you! You're not the same. You're _nothing _like him."

"I know," he said. "You're not equating us. Based on your last experience like that, I'm almost surprised it didn't happen sooner. I should have let you keep control. It's okay that it takes time. I've waited before and I can wait some more."

"It's not your fault," I said. "It was too optimistic to think it that we would succeed on the first try."

"It's not your fault either, Rose," he said.

"Okay," I said, holding back tears.

He moved closer. "Can I touch you?"

I nodded and he pulled me to him, and I relaxed in his embrace. My body shook as tears fell.

"It's okay, Roza," he said, rubbing my back. "We'll get there. It's going to be okay."

"I just feel so fucking broken," I sobbed. "He ruined everything."

"We can try again. We can try as many times as we need to," he said, soothingly. "This isn't an end all be all."

"But what if it never works?"

Dimitri shrugged. "Then so be it. Sex isn't a deal breaker."

"I don't deserve you," I muttered.

"It's me who doesn't deserve you," he said.

"Don't lie."

Dimitri pulled back to look me in the eyes. "Roza, that's the further thing from a lie. I am so lucky to have someone like you as my fiancée. You're an amazing mother, amazing friend, an amazing everything. I am so proud and thankful that I get to spend every day of the rest of my life with you."

I wiped at my eyes. "You're going to make me cry again."

Dimitri winked. "Just think of it as a precursor to my vows."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi y'all! Finally have a new chapter for you guys! I've been working on it on and off for the past few weeks and it's about 3.5k words, so yay! the next chapter will be up sooner rather than later since i already have most of it written, and that will also be a longer chapter, probably over 4k words (but no promises)! anyways enjoy this chapter, and leave a review with your opinions, thoughts, questions, etc!**

* * *

"Hello, Rose," Makenzie said as I sat down on her couch. "How are you feeling today? It's been some time since we've had a session."

"Nervous," I said, playing with the ring around my finger. I felt my cheeks heat up as I thought about why I was here.

"Do you remember the breathing techniques we talked about when you were here previously?"

I nodded.

_Breathe in for four seconds. Hold your breath for seven. Breathe out for eight._

I continued to play with my ring and Makenzie's eyes tracked to it.

"Congratulations to you and Dimitri. Have you picked a date yet?"

I shook my head. "I just recently said yes. He originally proposed a few months ago, but I said no, thought that I was too broken to be with him permanently. I still think that sometimes, but he's done so much for me."

"Did you say yes only because of everything he's done for you?" she asked cautiously.

Part of me wanted to be angry at the assumption, but I knew how my words sounded.

"No," I said. "I said yes because I love him, and I want to be with him. Katerina and Levi adore him and he's such a good father to them and hasn't complained once about them not being biologically his and I don't think I could find a better man to settle down with. I think I want to eventually have at least one more child, but only with him. I can't see it happening with anybody else."

Makenzie smiled. "Good. That's really great, Rose. You've made a lot of progress since I first saw you."

Neither of us said anything for a moment before Makenzie continued.

"So why did you reach out to set up this session? We haven't had very many since your breakthrough, so this came as a bit of a shock to me. Was there something in particular that you wanted to discuss?"

I felt my cheeks get hot again. "I need help working through my trauma with Adrian so I can have sex with Dimitri. We've tried a couple of times, but I keep freaking out and putting a stop to it and I don't know what to do. He says it's not a deal-breaker, but I can't help but feel like it won't be enough one day."

Makenzie wrote something down before leaning back in her chair. "Rose, I'm going to ask you a personal question, and I want you to answer honestly."

I nodded.

"Have you masturbated since you were rescued?"

I blushed again and shook my head. "No, I haven't had much time to think about it and it hasn't been a pressing need, compared to all of the other needs in my life."

"One of the first steps is going to be getting comfortable with your body. That's not to say that you can't keep trying with Dimitri, but it's definitely a step that you should start working on. I also think that you would benefit from a joint session. Not only do you need to express your fears to Dimitri about this, but I do have some tips and it would be best to talk to both of you. I assume he's in the waiting room. Do you mind if I go get him?"

"Yeah, you can go get him," I said, nerves piling up again. I practiced my breathing and tried not to twist my ring, not wanting the rub the skin raw.

Makenzie left the room and came back a few moments later with Dimitri in tow.

"Roza? Is something wrong?"

I shook my head, my cheeks feeling even hotter. "Makenzie thought it would be best to speak to both of us about how to make progress with our sex life."

Dimitri's eyebrows shot up, but he took the seat next to me on the couch and grabbed my hand. "Okay." He squeezed my hand and I relaxed a little bit.

Makenzie settled back into her chair and grabbed her notepad. "Firstly, Rose, you need to express your fears to Dimitri. You both need to have an open and honest relationship with each other for the necessary trust to build and grow to allow you to be intimate in the way that you want."

"What fears, Roza?" Dimitri asked when I didn't say anything.

I looked away. "That it won't be enough. That not having sex will eventually break us."

Dimitri squeezed my hand. "Roza, look at me."

I met his eyes and saw the love radiating from them.

"I know it's hard for you to believe, but I'm here for the long haul. Sex isn't even on my list of deal-breakers and it's definitely something that I can live without if it means that I get to have you in my life," he said.

"You keep saying that, but I can't help but feel like it's not true," I said, frustration leaking into my voice. "My entire world revolved around sex for three years and being in that environment makes it so fucking hard to believe that you'd be okay with never having sex again. And I hate comparing us to that hellhole, but I'm just stuck in the never-ending loop."

"Roza," he said, his eyes never leaving mine. "I love you and I'll reassure you every day if I need to that sex isn't a deal-breaker. You mean the world to me and so do Katerina and Levi. I'd be stupid to throw all of that away for something as insignificant as sex. I have a hand and I know how to get myself off when the occasion arises."

He said the last part with a small smile, and I blushed again.

"I recommend that you continue to talk out your fears when they rear their ugly heads," Makenzie said. "That'll only strengthen your bond. As for attempting sex, I think you need to stop focusing on going all the way. It's unrealistic to think that you can just jump into having penetrative sex. Start slow and work your way up. There are other forms of sex and other things that can be done that allows you to be intimate and build up the trust and taking the final leap."

"That makes sense," Dimitri said, nodded. "It's a lot of expectations to jump into immediately, and we knew that it wasn't going to work out the first time that we tried, but I never considered easing into it with different forms of sex."

"I think that might work," I said, a small smile on my face. "It'll be easier cause none of that is contaminated by Adrian. He never took into consideration anybody else's pleasure, which makes sense considering the situation that he kept us in. I think I would still need to work up to the more intimate forms of sex but I think it'll be a start."

"Another suggestion is to stop looking at it as failed attempts, especially if you attempted and succeeded with another form of sex. Being in the mindset of thinking that anything that isn't penetrative sex is a failure will only harm you in the long run

"And Rose, you can always schedule a session whenever you need it if you need to talk through anything, related to Adrian or this. I'm not advertised as a sex therapist, but I've done self-study and attended conferences, so my door is always open to you," Makenzie said.

We checked out at the front desk after thanking Makenzie, and I texted our babysitter, Ani, to check in on the kids once we got to the car.

"Are you hungry?" Dimitri questioned, starting up the car.

The clock on the stereo showed that I was almost one in the afternoon, and my stomach rumbled.

Dimitri laughed. "I'll take that as a yes. Do you want to swing by the house and pick up the kids, go out by ourselves, or eat at home?"

"I texted Ani and she said the kids are sound asleep," I said. "I think going out, just the two of us, sounds great. We can make it a date."

* * *

We were laying in bed that night after another sex attempt, though progress was made. We took Makenzie's advice and focused solely on other forms of sex instead of just focusing on penetrative sex. Dimitri went down on me, let me guide him to provide the most pleasure for me, which had led to the best orgasm of my life. It was easier, as I had predicted, because it was something that couldn't be contaminated by memories of Adrian, seeing how he didn't care about anybody else's pleasure aside from his own and wouldn't have been caught dead in that position.

Dimitri had disappeared into the bathroom afterward and it didn't take a genius to figure out what he was doing. When he had come out of the bathroom a few minutes later, he was wearing a pair of sweatpants and he tossed me one of his shirts from the dresser to put on.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, climbing on to the bed next to me. He pulled me into his arms, and I shifted to get comfortable.

"I'm feeling good," I said. "Thank you for being so patient with me."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I just want you to be comfortable. We can move at your pace for however long it takes. There's no rush here."

"Did you take care of everything?" I asked, blushing again.

Dimitri arched an eyebrow and laughed. "Are you asking if I masturbated in the bathroom, Roza?"

I nodded.

He laughed again. "Yes, I did. You got me very worked up."

"Sorry." I could feel my cheeks still burning.

"Don't apologize," he said. "You had a great time, I had a great time, so I see that as a win-win in my book."

"Then I'd very much like to do it again sometime," I said. "But next time, maybe stay in the room instead of running to the bathroom?"

Dimitri looked down, his eyes meeting mine to make sure I was serious. "If that's what you want."

I nodded. "Yeah, it is. I think it'll be a good step in the right direction, and we can see how it goes."

I shifted again so that I could rest my head on Dimitri's chest, and caught the sight of my ring in my peripheral vision. I tilted my head to look up and catch Dimitri's eyes again.

"When do you want to get married?"

"Roza, I'd marry you right now, elope even, if I didn't think Lissa would kill us," he said with a smile. "Honestly, pick the date and the time and I'll be there."

"Oh shit, I haven't told Lissa," I said, sitting up. "She's going to kill me for keeping it a secret."

"You've been busy," he said, glancing at his watch. "It's only 7:30 in Los Angeles right now, you should call her."

I shot him a look as I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. "She's going to want to plan the entire thing, just so you know. She'll probably go a little crazy too."

I pulled up her contact to FaceTime her and make sure that both of us looked presentable while the call rang. It rang five times before Lissa answered, looking out of breath.

"Hey, did we interrupt?" I said, smiling.

"No, I left my phone downstairs and had to run to grab it before you hung up!" she said, sitting down on the couch. "Christian's in the field on some secret assignment, so he won't be back for another week at least."

"That sucks," I said. "I'm sorry, Liss. How long has he been gone?"

"Only a couple of days. It is what it is," she said. "He's helping people and I couldn't ask for someone better."

"Yeah, he's great," I said. "If it weren't for him and Dimitri, maybe I'd still be there or maybe I'd be dead. I couldn't thank them enough."

I repositioned my hand to cup Dimitri's cheek and kissed him softly.

"You guys are the cutest," Lissa said, smiling. When I saw her eyes widen, that's when I realized that she had finally spotted the ring. "Rose! You're getting married!"

"He proposed a couple of days ago. Surprise," I said weakly, hoping that she wouldn't get mad that we didn't tell her immediately.

"I'm coming to visit! We need to start planning," Lissa said, excitedly. "Have you picked a date?"

"Not exactly," I said. "I want to get married before classes start at the end of August though so that I have a new last name and it'll make things a little bit easier at first."

"Rose! That's less than two months away!" Lissa said. "Wait, why would having a new last name make anything easier?"

I sighed and filled her in on the course and how there would be a section about the trial. Lissa's eyes hardened.

"Are you sure keeping that class is such a great idea?"

"Liss, people are going to talk no matter what. Beth seems nice and Dimitri will be there during that week. It'll be fine."

"Christian and I will come too, just to be there for you. Text me the dates so that I can book flights."

"That's not necessary, really. I'll be fine."

"Not up for negotiation, Rose," she said. "Especially since I have to plan this wedding in less than a month because the beginning of August would probably be best to make sure that all of the necessary paperwork is filed and taken care of. And so that you can take your honeymoon before classes start."

I could hear Lissa typing at her computer before she came back in view of the camera. "Okay, flights booked. I'll send you the itinerary so you can pick me up at the airport."

I smiled. "I'm sure Katerina will be very happy to see you. The last time you were here wasn't the best."

I reminisced on how Lissa had come to Austin to help take care of Katerina and Levi while I was still out of it after shooting Adrian. Not the best vacation by any standards.

"I can't wait to see her. I'm sure Levi has grown even more since I last saw him," she said. "I need you to start sending me daily pictures with the rate that they're growing."

I laughed. "I'll be sure to do that."

* * *

Lissa arrived two days later. Katerina was very excited to see her, as predicted, and kept chanting Lissa's name during the entire drive to the airport. Levi was sound asleep in his car seat and I had to remind Katerina a few times to lower her voice as to not wake him up.

When we arrived at the airport, Katerina ran to Lissa as soon as she saw her and Lissa swung her into her arms, with Katerina laughing the entire time. Dimitri hung back with Levi while I followed Katerina and hugged Lissa.

We had to do a little rearranging for Lissa to be able to fit in between Katerina's and Levi's car seats, but we made it work and Lissa immediately requested that we get lunch. Dimitri picked a Thai place close to downtown since Lissa had other plans for wedding plans today that was near downtown.

The small restaurant was busy, but the service was quick, and the food was delicious. My appetite was still a little off and I managed to eat two-thirds of my Pad Thai before pushing the bowl across the table for Dimitri to finish, as he had ordered the same and already finished it. He gave me a look but ate the rest of my dish regardless.

Lissa pulled out a small calendar. "Okay, so the beginning of August is usually a very popular time to get married so we might have a little trouble with finding a venue, but luck might be on our side too. I was thinking August eighth. That gives us a little over a month to get everything planned, plus it's a Thursday, which will hopefully work in our favor of getting a good venue since it's not a weekend day."

I looked at Dimitri and he shrugged, trying to hide a smile. "I'm good with August eighth, if you are."

"Sounds good."

Lissa looked up from her calendar. "Okay, great. For venues, did you have anywhere in mind?"

"I was thinking somewhere outside, maybe Barton Creek Springs so we're near the water and nature combined?"

Lissa nodded. "I'll do some research and see if I can find anything. Do you have a guest list?"

"Lissa, to be perfectly honest with you, I haven't considered a single part of planning yet. I could name a few people off the top of my head, but other than that, no, I do not have a guest list."

Lissa sighed. "We have so much work to do."

"Good thing you're here, right?" I said with a cheeky smile.

* * *

Dimitri dropped us at the bridal shop a few blocks away from the restaurant and told us to text him when we were done. Katerina was sad to be separating from Lissa again so soon but forgot all about us when Dimitri promised to take her to the park.

Lissa had booked an appointment with the bridal shop, but as soon as we walked into the store, I knew that I wasn't going to find anything that I liked here. I gave Lissa a look and she shrugged.

"Liss, none of these dresses are my style," I said, looking around again.

"You might be surprised," she said. "Just take a look around."

I did as she asked but the more I looked at the dresses, the more I knew that it wasn't anything that I was truly looking for or comfortable wearing. Almost everything had a deep V-neck or an open back and I didn't want either of those things.

I gave Lissa a look and she apologized to the sales associate for wasting their time before we walked out of the shop. Lissa spent a few minutes on her phone before she grabbed my arm and leading me away.

"C'mon. I think I found a store that you'll like."

Ten minutes later, we arrived at another bridal shop, but this one was smaller than the last and there was a small sticker in the window that read "shop local". I smiled, having loved all of my past experiences with local Austin boutiques.

"Hi, ladies, my name is Stacy. How can we help you today?" a younger woman approached us, a wide smile on her face.

Already I felt more comfortable, considering the last sales associate hadn't even said a word to me.

"I'm getting married in less than a month and I need a dress," I said.

"Well I can definitely help with that," she said. "What kind of dress were you looking for?"

"Something simple and modest. I don't want a lot of skin showing or cleavage or anything like that."

Stacy nodded and turned. "Follow me. I have a few dresses in mind that I think you might like."

She led us over to a rack against the back wall that featured a variety of gowns that were on the modest side. Some were sleeveless while others had either long sleeves or three-quarter sleeves. She pulled out three dresses to show and led us to a smaller dressing area.

The first dress was long sleeve with a plain white bodice and tulle skirt. The collar line was a scoop neck in the front and the back, but neither cut was deep. The second dress was sleeveless with a floral embroidered lace bodice and a tulle skirt that also had flowers embroidered into the top layers. The third dress was another long sleeve that was similar to the sleeveless in terms of the lace embroidered bodice, but the skirt was plain tulle. The moment I saw it, I knew it was the one.

Lissa helped me into the gown, zipping up the back, before having me turn in a circle to show her the full view.

"Rose, you're gorgeous," she said. "It's perfect."

I looked at myself in the mirror and I knew her words were true, even if it took a moment for me to myself in the same way. I agreed that it was perfect.

"How much is it?" My palms were sweaty as I hoped that it wasn't going to be thousands of dollars.

Stacy flipped the tag on the dress over to get the name before typing it into her tablet.

"This dress is actually currently part of our summer sale, so it is selling for five hundred and forty-nine dollars," she said. "Altercation prices depend on how much work you need to be done and how fast you need it done, but it doesn't seem like you a need a lot of altercations."

"It's perfect," I said. "I'll take it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, y'all! So a little later than expected with this chapter, but it is over 5,000 words, so I'm still counting it as a win! We jump forward a little bit in this chapter, to Rose and Dimitri's wedding day just to speed things up a little bit! I hope y'all enjoy and leave a review at the end with your thoughts, comments, or what you think is next in store for Rose and Dimitri!**

* * *

**One Month Later**

The sun was shining brightly and even though it was the beginning of August in Texas, there was a cool breeze coming from Barton Creek Spring and Lady Bird Lake. Everything was perfect.

But I was having a panic attack.

"Rose!"

"Lissa," I gasped, turning away to face the patio. "What if he got cold feet?"

"Rose." Audrey sighed from where I knew she was standing next to Lissa behind me. "He didn't get cold feet. I promise."

"But what if–"

"Rose. Look at me."

I turned slightly to see Lissa over my hunched shoulder. Her hair was piled on top of her head, and even though she was barefaced, and in a robe, she was gorgeous. She took a couple more steps on to the patio, just enough so that she could reach me, and turned me around so that I was completely facing her.

"Dimitri is so in love with you, Rose. If he doesn't love you, the sky isn't blue."

"Liss_–_"

"No 'buts', no 'what ifs'."

Taking me by the hand, she led me back into the house, and over to the dark oak table that dominated the room. One of the Save the Date's that we had sent out a month ago was sitting there.

"What do you see when you look at this picture?"

I didn't even have to look at the picture to answer her since I knew it so well, but I humored her regardless and studying it intently. The background was one of our engagement photos, which we did at the Barton Creek Greenbelt in June. Dimitri's arms were wrapped around my waist, and I was grinning at the camera. Dimitri, however, was beaming at me. Across the bottom, written in cursive, was "Save the Date" and below it read "Rosemarie & Dimitri ~ August 8, 2013" and then the address of the bed and breakfast that we were getting married at.

"I see myself and Dimitri." I was being petulant, and I knew it.

Lissa rolled her eyes. "Look at Dimitri's expression, Rose. Do you see the way he looks at you?"

I glanced back down at the photo, focusing on Dimitri, and didn't say anything.

"Dimitri so obviously loves you. Trust me, okay?"

"Okay."

Lissa grinned brightly and dragged me out of the dining room and up the stairs. Passing by closed doors, she finally came to a stop at the end of the hall and walked into the room, tugging me in after her. We were in the master suite, and the bathroom had been converted into Audrey's makeup paradise. The garment bags that contained our dresses were hanging up in the closet, our shoes underneath them.

Lissa pulled me across the floor and into the bathroom, forcing me into a chair in front of Audrey.

"All good?"

Lissa nodded and Audrey turned around to grab makeup off the counter before ordering me to close my eyes. Lissa stepped up behind me and began brushing out my long hair, getting rid of all the tangles. I relaxed into the chair, using a breathing technique that Makenzie had taught me to remain calm. _Breathe in for four seconds. Hold your breath for seven. Breathe out for eight._

Ever so lightly, Audrey started to apply the makeup. Lissa tugged on my hair gently as she twisted and manipulated it the way that she wanted it to be.

"Do you have your vows ready, Rose?" Lissa said, tugging an errant strand into place.

"Yes."

The words that I would be speaking in less than two hours ran through my head for the umpteenth time.

"Relax, Rose," Audrey chastised. "Everything is going to be perfect."

I couldn't resist. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, Rose, Dimitri is so in love with you," Audrey said.

"That's what I told her!" Lissa exclaimed.

"I don't know if you have ever noticed, but every time someone mentions you, his face lights up like a little kid at Christmas time," Audrey continued

"And yours does the same," Lissa said. "You two are perfect for each other. I've never seen you happier than you are with Dimitri."

"What if it doesn't work out?" I trembled, biting my lip. Audrey gently tugged it away from my teeth.

"Rosemarie Hathaway, you listen to me," Audrey spoke with conviction as she stopped doing my makeup, forcing me to open my eyes. "You are insane if you think that this won't work out. Dimitri is your soulmate, and he will be with you for better or for worse. I could see that from the moment that I met him, and I didn't even know him at that time. I haven't known you as long as Lissa has, but I'd have to be blind if I couldn't see how happy and content you are with Dimitri."

"You two are going to grow old and die together with a gazillion grandbabies," Lissa chimed in.

I bit my lip again. "But how can you be so sure?"

Lissa spun me around in the chair so that I was looking at her. "What does it feel like whenever you're with Dimitri?"

"My entire stomach erupts in butterflies, and when he kisses me, I feel like everything will be right in the world. As long as I'm with him, but only with him."

"Exactly." Lissa smiled confidently. "That's how you know. The love between the two of you doesn't break away or fall apart without a fight. You both want this to work out, and it will. Dimitri is your everything, and you are his. It's as plain as day whenever you're in a room together."

Lissa turned me back around so that I was facing Audrey once more. I glanced in the mirror and saw bits and pieces of the girl that Dimitri calls beautiful. She kept my makeup light, highlighting my eyes using a touch of eyeliner and mascara, along with a graceful sweep of eyeshadow. There was light blush dusting my cheeks, but no foundation or concealer. My lips were swollen slightly from biting them, and red from lipstick that had been applied. Lissa had parted my hair slightly to the side and twisted it back into a chignon. A jewel-encrusted headband, one that I recognized, had made its home in the dark locks.

"Lissa," I gasped.

"Something old," she whispered.

The headband was a Dragomir family heirloom, one that was passed down through the women in their family to be worn on their wedding days. "Rose, you're my family. Always have been and it's only right for you to wear this today."

Audrey led the way to the closet where the dresses were and I numbly followed her. Last-minute alterations had been made less than a week ago, and the dress was perfect. Audrey and Lissa quickly stepped into their midi length, dark blue dresses. They were strapless with a sweetheart neckline and flared out past the bodice. Their shoes were simple black pumps, which they left off for now.

Lissa helped Audrey get my dress out of the garment bag before helping me step into it for the final and most important time. The gown was cool against my skin, satin placed between the lace of the bodice and my torso. The bodice was long sleeve, and the collar cut similar to a crewneck. The skirt of the dress was made of satin material with a layer of organza over it. There was a wide train that swept elegantly across the ground as I stepped forward and into my white heels.

"Rosemarie?"

I turned around and saw my father standing just inside the doorway, his eyes suspiciously wet.

Dimitri and I had had a huge argument surrounding whether or not to invite my father to the wedding. My mother wasn't even considered after everything she had done, but the childish part of me wanted my father there to walk me down the aisle. Dimitri finally agreed, given the agreement that Janine wasn't to step foot in Austin and my father wasn't to tell her where I was. We had spent the last month rebuilding our relationship outside of my mother's influence via Facetime and via trips I made to New York to visit him. I trusted that he wouldn't tell my mother where I was or give her information about my life in Austin, given the fact that they had separated for good after the incident and my father had won full custody of Aiden.

"Hi," I whispered.

"You look gorgeous," he mused, stepping forward as he handed me a small black box, before saying, "Something new."

I delicately opened the box, which revealed a pair of earrings. They were simple, diamond waterfall in style, and perfect.

"Something old," Lissa reminded me, gesturing to the headband.

"Something borrowed," Audrey stepped up behind me, fastening a chain around my neck. I glanced down at a circular diamond pendant and turned to her with wide eyes.

"Audrey," I whispered, fingering the pendant.

It was something that she always held on too, even when we were held captive by Adrian. She had told me that it was a gift from her father, the one thing that kept her comfort while locked up. She smiled and blinked tears out of her eyes as she hugged me.

"And something blue," my dad said, handing Lissa a sapphire and pearl-encrusted hairpin.

"Rose, I'm so happy for you," Lissa told me, "You look so beautiful right now; you're glowing."

"Is this a dream?" I whispered, catching another reflection of myself in one of the many full-length mirrors in the room. Everything was finally coming together.

Lissa laughed. "No, it's not. This is real life."

"It feels like a dream."

"You've made it, Rose. It won't be ripped away at the last second. I won't let it," Audrey swore. "You deserve this. You deserve your happy ending."

There was silence for a moment before my dad spoke. "Are you ready, Rose?"

I nodded, and Lissa dabbed at my eyes one last time, making sure that my makeup was still intact. Audrey handed me my bouquet, which was a mixture of lilies and roses with baby breath weaved throughout.

They stepped out ahead of us, leaving the room, and led the way down the stairs to the back door. The doors were open, but a white gauzy curtain hung down in front of the doorway, blocking the view into the house, even as it blew in the wind. I could faintly see the sun shining through the curtain as it set, casting a beautiful glow over everything.

As the music keyed up, Audrey exited first, and then Lissa, until it was just my father and I left. He offered me his arm, and I took as it as "Here Comes the Bride" started. Everybody's eyes were on us as we stepped outside, onto the makeshift aisle. I kept my eyes focused on Dimitri, only Dimitri. He was grinning, and his eyes were shining with unshed tears. As we reached the altar, my father handed me off and I handed my bouquet to Lissa so I could take Dimitri's hands. The breeze blew loose strands of hair into my face, but I wasn't bothered enough to brush the hair aside.

Dimitri couldn't stop smiling as the pastor started speaking, and I was sure that I was smiling just as widely. Half–listening to the pastor, I focused the rest of my attention on Dimitri. His eyes were bright, and his mouth was set in a permanent smile. He held my hands, his thumb moving in a circular motion against my hands to soothe me.

"Rosemarie Hathaway," he grinned, "I am the luckiest man in the world to be able to call you my wife. You tackle everything with such bravery and courage, even the things that scare you. You're an amazing mother, amazing friend, an amazing everything. I've loved you for years now and I'm blessed that you said yes when I asked you out on a date, and I'm blessed that you said yes when I asked you to marry me, even if you said no the first time."

Dimitri paused and a few of the members of the audience laughed.

"I've never loved anyone as much as I've loved you, and I will continue to love you in the same way for as long as you will have me. We've been through so much together, and we've always come out on top, even if we struggled. I want to keep coming out on top with you, Roza, and I am so proud and thankful that I get to spend every day of the rest of my life with you. 'Til death do us part."

I blinked my tears away, a few of them slipping down my cheeks. He squeezed my hands, still rubbing soothing circles, and smiled at me, blinking away his own tears.

I took a deep breath. "When we met again, I had hit rock bottom. I was drowning in my own thoughts. Most nights came with a new breakdown, which just filled my lungs with even more water. The pain that life brought me didn't seem worth it anymore. Until one day, you took my hand and pulled me above the water, you pulled me off that ledge. You held me in your arms, and I could breathe again. You kissed me, and I knew things would be right in the world again. You told me that you were in love with me, and my God, the demons that once lived inside my head vanished at the sound of those words coming out of your mouth. You made life worth living again. You took a broken soul and mended it back together. You saved me," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Forever and always, I don't want to be without you. I can't do this without you. 'Til death do us part."

Tears cascaded down Dimitri's cheeks. I faintly heard the pastor ask for the rings to be brought forward, but I was too focused on Dimitri. He picked up the diamond-encrusted wedding band, sliding it into place on my left ring finger, before picking up my engagement ring and putting it back where it belonged.

"With these rings, I pledge my love and commitment."

My hand was shaking as I picked up Dimitri's own diamond-encrusted wedding band. There was no going back. Dimitri grinned as I managed to get the ring on the right finger and repeat what Dimitri had previously said.

"With this ring, I pledge my love and commitment."

"By the authority vested in me by the State of Texas, witnessed by your friends and family, I have the pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." The pastor sounded like he was at the end of a tunnel as he spoke the final words. I blinked and Dimitri leaned forward. Our lips met in a gentle kiss and I stepped closer to him so that Dimitri could fully envelop me in his arms. I could feel the tears streaming down my cheeks now, and when I pulled back, Dimitri had tears streaming down his face too. He cupped my face gently and kissed me again.

"I love you, Roza," he whispered.

"I love you too," I said.

* * *

The reception was a blur. I remembered dancing with Dimitri to an acoustic version of Sam Smith's "Lay Me Down" for our first dance and dancing with my father during the father/daughter dance. Dimitri and I danced with Katerina and Levi, together as a family too. He held Levi cradled in one arm, while I held Katerina, as she was less likely to spit up and ruin my dress. We held them on opposite sides so that when we came together, it was almost like a square, with me still being able to touch Levi, and Dimitri being able to touch Katerina. We stayed on the dance floor, swaying together as a family for a few songs before Lissa came over to steal me to dance with her. Dimitri took Katerina from me and stayed on the dance floor with the two of them, just swaying.

As Lissa and I danced, I kept stealing glances over at Dimitri and couldn't help but smile. I had made the right choice, letting Dimitri into our lives and I knew that I wouldn't regret it. He was smiling down at the kids like they were his own, even as Katerina chatted away continuously and even as Levi burst into tears. Dimitri didn't blink an eye, adjust to set Katerina down at a table, sitting next to her so she could continue talking his ear off, while he moved Levi to cradle him while he calmed down.

Lissa saw me watching and smiled. "He's great, Rose."

I gave him one last look before turning back to Lissa. "He's the best. I don't know what I would do without him. Honestly."

"I'm so happy for you. It's what you deserve, after everything."

I gave Lissa a tight hug. "It's what you deserve too," I said.

I glanced over at Christian, who was talking to Audrey and her husband, Nate. He was holding their twins, who were only a month younger than Levi. I knew that Charlotte and Chancellor were around here somewhere too and eventually spotted them by Dimitri's mother and grandmother. Yeva looked amused and there was a bright glint in Olena's eyes as she talked to the pair.

"I think he's going to propose soon," Lissa murmured. "I didn't find a ring or anything, but call it a gut feeling."

I smiled. I already knew that Christian was planning on proposing because he had brought me along to pick out the ring while Lissa was busy setting up things for the wedding yesterday. They were planning on staying in town until we got back to help Dimitri's family with Katerina and Levi and the ring box was hidden in my jewelry box in my bedroom. The box looked exactly like the one that Dimitri's ring had been in, so Lissa would be none the wiser if she ventured in there while we were gone and saw it since I had previously kept Dimitri's box where Christian's now is.

"I'm really happy for you, Lissa. Christian's a great guy."

She smiled and nodded before fixing me with a look. "So, have you done it yet?"

I had already told Lissa that Dimitri and I were trying to have sex but I still blushed. "No, but tonight is the night. Or rather tomorrow's the night, I guess since we'll be on a plane for all of tonight."

"I'll put a little something extra in your backpack to carry on to the plane then," she said, with a wink.

I rolled my eyes at her. "I already packed lingerie," I said. "Nothing too revealing, but enough."

"And condoms?"

"Oh, shit. I completely forgot about condoms," I said, starting to panic.

"Rose, it's okay. I have some in my suitcase. I'll put them in your backpack, and I can just buy a new box tomorrow or whenever."

I hugged her. "You're the best, Lissa. I don't know what I would do without you either."

Eventually, we cleared off the dance floor for Dimitri and Olena to dance to a slow Russian song while I took Katerina and Lissa grabbed Levi from Dimitri.

We served barbeque through a buffet with an open bar. Lissa set everything up, only running the menu by up before approving the catering. There was an open bar in the back of the reception hall, but nobody ended up getting flat out drunk, which was nice.

The reception ended early, around nine, since by that time Katerina and Levi were ready to go home and so were Audrey's kids. Since Dimitri's family were staying at the house to watch Katerina and Levi for us and were staying until the end of August, Dimitri had convinced me to take two weeks for the honeymoon, instead of just one week. Lissa and Christian "gifted" us the weeks, saying that we deserved a break, and Lissa paid for the flights and hotels for the first week, while Christian covered the flights and the hotels for the second week.

Our plane was scheduled to leave at eleven forty-five, so we were planning on going straight from the reception to the airport. Lissa helped me change out of my wedding dress and handed me a duffle bag with a pair of sweats and a hoodie to wear on the plane. Our first stop was Cinque Terre which was a nearly 16-hour flight from Austin to Pisa, Italy, and then an hour and a half by car to Cinque Terre from the airport in Pisa. When we were searching for hotels and places to stay throughout Italy, Cinque Terre seemed like a great first stop with beautiful scenery and when we saw that there was a hotel called Hotel Baia, we knew that we had to book there.

The plane ride was mostly uneventful, and the chairs were comfortable enough for both Dimitri and I to take small naps throughout the 16 hours. It was past 10 at night by the time that we got to the hotel and settled in, almost a full day since we left Austin and the timing was perfect because we were both tired and would be able to sleep away some of our jetlag without wasting perfect exploring time.

The room wasn't big, but it was just enough for the two of us. There was a balcony facing the sea and overlooking everything which was amazing and the most important part. There was a king bed in the middle of the room and a bathroom to the left side.

"You can shower first, Roza," Dimitri said. "I'll unpack the suitcases."

I did as he said, relaxing under the stream of hot water and calming myself. I had decided a while ago that I wanted to make our first official night as a married couple special and not just because of the common idea that sex is expected on the wedding night. I had worked with Makenzie for the past couple of weeks and I knew that I was ready to take the final step.

I walked out of the bathroom in a towel and Dimitri smiled before going into the bathroom to shower himself. My backpack was untouched which I had hoped for because that was where I had stashed my lingerie and I wanted to surprise Dimitri. I changed into a modest green silk nightie and quickly ran a brush through my hair before I propped myself up on the bed. I sent a quick text to Lissa, letting her know that we had landed and settled in and she responded shortly after with a video of her, Katerina, and Levi. I smiled as I played it and Katerina chanted "Mommy" over and over while Levi waved his fist around while sitting on Lissa's lap as Lissa laughed.

I heard the shower shut off and put my phone on silent before placing it on the nightstand. My stomach was a ball of nerves as I waited for Dimitri to come out of the bathroom. When he came out a few minutes later, a towel wrapped around his waist, my breath caught in my throat. His hair was still dripping wet and some of the water was running down his chest and I blushed when Dimitri smirked at me.

"See something you like?"

I nodded. "Always. Come here."

Dimitri walked over to my side of the bed and I stood up to kiss him. My hands moved down to undo the knot of the towel and Dimitri's hands grabbed mine.

"Roza," he murmured.

"I'm ready," I said, already breathing heavily. "I want this."

He groaned, low in his throat and kissed me again. "Are you sure?"

I nodded again.

"Words, Roza, I need words."

"Yes," I breathed. "I'm sure."

I turned and as he turned with me, I pushed him back so that was laying flat on his back on the bed. I turned briefly to grab the box of condoms out of my backpack and I tossed one on the bed, next to Dimitri.

I straddled his hips and leaned down, my tongue tracing around the flat disk of his nipple, teasing the hardened tip and biting softly.

"Roza!" Dimitri's hands ran gently through my hair and down my back.

"I love you," I whispered, kissed him.

His hips surge upwards, unbidden, his hands moving to hold onto my thighs tightly. I rock against him, feeling him grow beneath me as I pepper his chest with loving kisses. I leaned down to kiss him again as my hands returned to undo the knot on the towel. Dimitri's hands rucked up the slip as I got the knot undone and pulled the towel open. Things moved quickly after that. I stood and stripped out of the slip so that I was as naked as he was while Dimitri watched me with hungry eyes. I couldn't help but stare at Dimitri stretched out on the bed, miles of golden tan skin looking perfect in the dim light of the room.

His dick was hard and curved up towards his stomach, leaving a smear of precum everywhere it touched. He was bigger than Adr—I pushed that thought out of my head, not wanting to connect the two experiences in any way. I was nervous but I had spent the past month slowly getting acquainted and comfortable with Dimitri in sexual and intimate ways that were preparing me for taking the final step tonight.

Dimitri reached over and grabbed the condom that I had tossed next to him and studied it.

"We don't have to use it if you don't want to," I said, climbing back on the bed.

"Roza, it doesn't matter to me. If you want to use a condom, we can. If you don't want to use one, we don't have to. It's your decision."

I was doing everything that I could to not compare the situation to everything that had happened with Adrian but part of me couldn't help it. Adrian never used a condom, even during the times he wasn't "in the mood" for children because he enjoyed our pain.

"I want to," I said. "I haven't done this with one before, so I don't know how to put it on."

My cheeks were burning hot, but Dimitri only smiled and leaned up to kiss me.

"I can do it," he said.

He ripped open the condom and pulled it out. It looked weird to me, but Dimitri seemed familiar with it as he pinched the tip and then rolled it down his dick.

"How do you want me?" he asked, giving me complete control.

"Just like that," I said. "I don't think I can do this if you're on top. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Roza. We can go at your pace."

I take a deep breath and lean down to kiss him deeply as I grind down against his length, his hips surge upward, seemingly of their own volition as Dimitri moans against my mouth. He looks up at me through heavy lids, and all I can see is love, desire, and adoration reflected in his dark brown gaze, beckoning surging emotions within my heart that threaten to consume me and drive me crazy with want.

I pause, overcome with emotions as my stomach fluttered with nervous butterflies.

"Roza, you're doing great," Dimitri murmured, soothing me.

"I've never done this before," I whispered. "I was a virgin before, never had the control."

I spoke vaguely, refusing to bring _him_ into this, not wanting to ruin a good thing.

"I'll help you any way I can," he promised.

"Guide me?"

Dimitri nodded and shifted slightly so that one hand was on my hip while the other gripped himself. It took a moment of adjusting before I felt his blunt head at my entrance. He didn't push in or thrust up, instead just holding himself there, waiting for me.

"Lower yourself onto me," he whispered, still gripping my hip.

I do so, slowly inch by inch until he's completely enveloped within me. My hands are still resting on his chest and I lean down to kiss right over where his heart is. Dimitri squeezed his eyes tight and lets out a strangled groan.

"Are you okay?" I said, worried.

"I'm fine, Roza, are you?" he said with a deep breath. He groaned again. "You feel so good."

I smiled and leaned down to kiss him. "I'm great," I say against his lips.

He kissed me back before trailing kisses along my neck and shoulder. He held onto my hips and together, we begin to move a lazy, gentle rhythm. He captured my lips with his own again and kisses me soundly and deeply. I felt our bodies slip and slide together, slick from sweat. I felt his thumb press against my clitoris, and I cried out as pleasure shoots through me.

"I've got you," he murmured.

His hands reached up and grasped my hips, holding me softly without trying to take control of the situation. I slowly circle my hips as I fractionally lifted myself, feeling every delicious inch of him on all sides before grinding down again. As my hips undulated, grinding back and forth slowly, I couldn't help but lose myself in the sensations that our combined bodies create.

"You're beautiful, you're everything, Roza, everything." His hoarse voice tugs me back in the room, just as utterly consumed as I am.

He lifts his head, looking into my eyes as if to ask permission. A shuddering sob escaped me as I nod, overcome with fraught emotion. He immediately sat up, bringing us nose to nose and chest to chest. His hands immediately wrapped around my back, holding me tightly as he kissed me, and time has no concept or meaning at this moment.

"Dimitri!" I mewled, gasping for breath as the pulling started in my stomach.

"I got you, Roza," he whispered again, his forehead resting against mine.

Our hips meet together faster as I grab fistfuls of his hair as leverage. I felt his thighs tense, straining and quivering against the mounting sensations. Whispers of heat shiver up my spine as my whole body stiffened in what can only be described as the most pleasurable of agonies. Sunbursts and fireworks expand in my stomach and shoot down every single nerve in my body. Dimitri gasped, his breath catching in his throat as I held onto him, running my fingers through his hair and kissing him as his hips thrust upwards. I cried out as my orgasm washes through me, every nerve singing pleasure. A tortured cry escapes him as the contractions from my orgasm squeezed him and he stiffened, his hips still moving as his own orgasm hits him, filling up the condom.

He gently lifted me off him so that he could remove the condom and toss it in the trash can. He grabbed a warm washcloth while he's up and gently runs it over my body, cleaning off the sweat that had appeared. After tossing the washcloth back into the bathroom, Dimitri climbed into the bed and I moved so that I was pressed right up against him. The room is still warm and muggy, and we left the blankets off.

"I love you, Roza," he whispered. "You mean everything to me."

I leaned up to kiss him again. "I love you too, Dimitri. I can't put into words what the past year and a half have been like with you by my side. I never thought that I would be able to love someone as much as I love you."

He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arm around my waist. "Forever and always, Roza."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi y'all! I was hoping to have this chapter up sooner but unfortunately, a whole bunch of stuff happened that prevented me from writing and uploading. I'm going to try to upload chapters for other stories this week as well and I hope to have a new chapter up for this story soon! The originally planned chapter was going to be longer, however, when I got to the stopping point of this chapter, I decided to break it into two chapters since it didn't see to flow together as one chapter! I hope y'all are staying safe and enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you thought in the comments. **

**Warning: There are mentions of Adrian in this chapter, so trigger warning for panic attacks and the use of (sexist) slurs. Also, there is mentioned sex and implied sex in this chapter. Just wanted to give everybody an advance notice in case any of that triggers you or you don't want to read it! **

* * *

"Good morning, Roza," Dimitri whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

I sighed and moved further underneath the blankets. "Just a little longer."

He chuckled. "Five more minutes. Then we need to get up to catch the ferry to Capri."

I nodded and snuggled back into his arms. The sun was bright through the curtains and warm on my bare skin as I reminisce about the time spent in Italy.

Spending the past two weeks in Italy had been close to paradise. We had spent three days in Cinque Terre, exploring the five towns that made up the small city before we traveled inward to Florence for a couple of days. In Florence, we toured a couple of the basilicas, since they reminded Dimitri of Russia, though he promised me that the ones in Russia were much more colorful. I, in turn, made him promise to take me there for our next vacation.

Rome was the next stop on the trip south and our three days there were crammed full of tours and sightseeing. We spent a day visiting sites on Roman history, including the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Pantheon. Dimitri insisted on visiting the Vatican Museums and I wanted to go to the Sistine Chapel, so we spent another day doing that, before spending our last there walking around the city and finding the best eateries the Rome had to offer. I sent Lissa and Christian a picture that a kind older woman took of me and Dimitri in front of the Trevi fountain and Lissa responded with heart emojis and a video of Katerina and Levi playing together.

Further south, in Naples, we spent most of the day relaxing which was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the past days. In the afternoon, we spent a little time exploring the city though we didn't venture far. Spending only a day in Naples, we traveled to Sorrento where we were eventually planning to catch a ferry to the island of Capri as our last stop. The first day in Sorrento, we traveled back to visit Pompeii, which was situated almost halfway between Naples and Sorrento, though slightly closer to Naples. The second day was spent relaxing, similar to our day in Naples, except this time from the comfort of the beach. Today was our planned trip to the island of Capri, which was a short ferry ride away before we would be boarding the airplane to take up back to the United States tomorrow afternoon.

In what seemed like no time at all, Dimitri was nudging me again.

I groaned and rolled over on to my stomach. The covers slid off and a cool breeze from the open patio doors brushed against my bare skin.

"Roza," Dimitri whispered, "it's really time to get up now."

I sighed and arched my back, stretching before sitting up on my knees. Whatever coverage I had left from the blanket fell away as it pooled at my waist. I ignored the gut instinct to hide my body from Dimitri's eyes and instead leaned forward to kiss him softly. His hands were hot against my back, pulling me closer, and I resisted the urge to move out of his reach. I pulled away, cupping his cheek, and smiled.

"Thank you for organizing this," I said. "I'll be ready to go soon."

I gave him another kiss before sliding out of his reach and off the bed. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked to the bathroom.

I was true to my word and was ready to leave for the ferry within the hour. Dimitri has insisted that I wear a bikini under my shorts and tank top but was keeping the itinerary of what we'd actually be doing in Capri to himself.

We were a short drive away from the ferry dock, and we parked before walking to the boat. Some people were driving their cars on to the ferry, most likely Capri locals. Since it was recommended that tourists don't bring cars over to Capri, we were leaving ours here and would pick it up once we caught the ferry back from Capri to the mainland.

The ride to the small island didn't take long and we strolled off the boat holding hands. Dimitri still wouldn't let me look at the itinerary so I followed him as he walked to the entrance of a tram center named the Funicular. We rode that to the top of the island and spent time exploring the views from the top before we decided to walk down to explore a couple of the gardens on the island before taking walking down the Via Krupp, which was luckily open.

In Capri Town, we stopped for lunch, and I was surprised to see that the sun was way across the sky, indicating that it was well past noon. After lunch, Dimitri led us back to the marina where we had docked and we rented kayaks to explore the waters around the island a bit. We were able to see the Blue Grotto after a short wait and had to lay down to get into the entrance before sitting up once more. There were a few other people in kayaks and canoes in the grotto and we stayed for less than ten minutes due to the other people leaving. A little further down from the entrance to the grotto, Dimitri leaned forward to adjust his grip on his paddle and promptly flipped the kayak. He popped up out of the water a moment later and I was laughing so hard that I soon toppled my own kayak.

Dimitri pulled me to him once I surfaced and kissed me. After having to chase down our kayaks from where they had started to float away, Dimitri helped me back into mine before pulling himself back into his. We continued to paddle around the island a bit, stopping for a picture in front of the Faraglioni rocks.

The sun was further across the sky when we returned the kayaks to the marina and we sat out at a little restaurant with a patio near the marina to dry off and eat dinner.

The sun was setting as we rode the ferry back to the mainland, and Dimitri and I stood at the railing on the highest dock for the twenty-minute ride.

"Roza, I know that I've said it a lot over these past couple of weeks, but you truly make me the happiest man alive. While I'll forever wish that I could have saved you from the pain, I'm glad that we met and that we've grown to be where we are now."

He bent down to kiss me and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His hair was hanging loose and was still a little damp from when we flipped the kayak.

"I love you," I whispered. "I don't think I could've made it without you. You're my everything. Forever and always."

"Forever and always," he murmured back before kissing me again.

When we landed at the dock on the mainland, we tried not to be obvious about rushing to get off the ferry, but we both quicker than we had earlier. The entire drive back to the hotel, Dimitri had his hand on my thigh, rubbing a small circle with his thumb.

The hotel door was barely shut behind us when I pinned him to the door and pulled him down into a searing kiss. His hands pressed into the small of my back, pulling me closer before the slid underneath my top and pulled it over my head. He quickly untied my bikini top, tossing it in the same direction that he had thrown my shirt.

"Bed," he whispered roughly.

I started to back up, pulling him with me. The back of my legs hit the bed, and I fell backward, still pulling Dimitri with me. My back had barely touched the bed before Dimitri was flipping us over so that I was on top. In one fluid motion, I tugged his shirt over his head before bending my head to kiss his chest.

Dimitri's hands explored my body, eventually reaching down to unbutton my short and I helped him pull them off and throw them across the room. Dimitri was left in his shorts and me in my bikini bottoms. Dimitri shifted so that he was sitting up against the headboard of the bed and I followed him, straddling his waist again. I could feel him pressing against me urgently and I slowly started to grind my hips.

"Roza!" he groaned, pulling me into another kiss.

He trailed kisses along my jawline and then down my neck as I continued to move against him. His lips trailed a searing line in between my breasts and as his lips pressed kisses over one of my breasts, his hand came up to cup and massage the other, his thumb placed perfectly over my nipple.

"Dimitri!" I cried out as he sucked one of my nipples into his mouth. My hips continued to grind against his as he continued to kiss and massage my breasts and my cries got louder.

He bit down lightly on one nipple while squeezing the other and I cried out again.

"Please! Don't stop!"

He abided by my command and I could feel my orgasm starting to build.

"Dimitri, Dimitri, Dimitri!" I chanted, letting the pleasure wash over me.

A banging on the wall made me freeze, the pleasure instantly gone.

"Shut the fuck up, whore!"

I slid off of Dimitri's lap, feeling cold all over. It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over me. I was instantly aware of the fact that I was mostly naked and surely covered in hickeys. Dimitri looked like he wanted to follow me as I continued to back away, but he stayed still on the bed, just staring at me.

"Roza?"

I glanced away. "I'm going to go take a shower."

I turned around and hurried to the bathroom before he could say anything else. I locked the door behind me and flipped on the water as hot as it could go. I refused to look at myself in the mirror, knowing that I would burst into tears the second I did. I climbed into the shower instead and let the hot water brush against me as I slid down and sat on the floor of the tub. With my legs pulled up to my chest, I finally allowed myself to cry, the sound hidden by the pounding of the water.

_Adrian glared at me coldly. _

"_Please, please," I whimpered. "Stop. Please."_

"_Shut up." _

"_You don't have to do this. I won't say anything if you let me go. Please." _

"_Shut. Up."_

_He walked towards and I scrambled backward, pressing myself against the wall.  
_

"_Please," I begged. "Please!"_

_I felt the pain of the slap against my cheek before I even registered that his hand had moved. _

"_Shut the fuck up, whore," he snarled. "You're mine and always mine."_

The sound of a fist hitting wood pulled me out of the memory.

"Roza, are you okay? You've been in there for almost an hour," Dimitri called through. "You can take all the time you need, but I need to know you're okay."

I reached forward to shut off the water, which, while still hot, wasn't as scalding as before. I could see that my feet were pink from the heat and as I stood, my legs almost buckled under my weight. Keeping them pulled up to my chest had left them still and mostly asleep. Pins and needles raced through my feet and legs as I stepped out of the shower.

"Roza?"

I took baby steps to the door, trying to reduce the pain of the pins and needles that were still shooting through my legs with every step. I cracked open the bathroom door, and instantly met Dimitri's worried gaze.

"I'm okay," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "Will you grab pajamas from my suitcase and bring them here? The black ones with the rainbows?"

"Of course," he said.

He disappeared for a moment before returning and holding out the pajamas. I took them quickly before shutting the bathroom door again. I tossed my wet bikini bottoms into the bathtub and turned my back to the mirror as I slid on a clean pair of underwear, the long pajama bottoms, and the short sleeve top. Once I was covered, I turned and faced my reflection in the mirror.

My hair was a tangled mess where it hung around my face, damp from the shower now instead of from when we fell in the water at Capri. My eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and I wiped away the residue wetness on my cheeks. I could faintly see a hickey on my neck and I was glad that I had put my shirt on before facing the reflection since I knew that there were more littering my body.

I tore my gaze away from the mirror and walked back over to the bathroom door where I knew that Dimitri would still be waiting on the other side. I flipped off the light of the bathroom and opened the door. My gaze met Dimitri's again and I immediately fell into his arms, crying again.

"Roza," he murmured.

He held me for a moment before leading me back over the bed. There was no sign of our earlier activities and Dimitri flipped back the covers for me before climbing in on his side. He pulled me back into arms the moment that I climbed into the bed and kissed my forehead. My sobs eventually faded and we laid there in silence for a moment.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly. "And before you say sorry, there is nothing to apologize for. You can't control your reactions to certain stimuli."

"I know I can't control it but that doesn't make me any less sorry," I said, sitting up. Dimitri propped himself up on his elbow and waited for me to continue. "And I am sorry. I know it must not be comfortable being left like…that."

Dimitri almost smiled. "Roza, I'd rather have blue balls the rest of my life than have you in any pain or have you be uncomfortable. Plus, the second I saw the fear on your face, everything disappeared except the need to help you."

I nodded and pulled the blankets closer to me even though it felt like it was a hundred degrees in the room.

"Adrian would call me that sometimes," I whispered. "Especially at the beginning. The first time, I had begged him to let me go, promised that I wouldn't say anything and he slapped me, told me to shut the fuck up, and called me a whore."

"I wish that I would have beat the living shit out of him when I had the opportunity," Dimitri said, a fierce look in his eyes.

"I would say don't dwell on the past, but that's what I've been doing this entire time," I said, laughing weakly.

"That's different. You have PTSD, you can't control your triggers. We'll just have to work around them and I don't care how much work it takes; I'll always be here to help you."

"I don't deserve you," I whisper, laying back down and letting myself get comfortable wrapped in his arms.

"You deserve the entire fucking world," he said fiercely. "And for as long as I live, I will strive to give you exactly that. I love you, Roza."

"I love you too," I said, tilting my head up to kiss him.

"Get some sleep," he murmured. "We have a long day tomorrow."

I adjusted my pillow and fell into a dreamless sleep, never once moving out of Dimitri's protective embrace.


End file.
